Returning and Starting Again
by ER FAN
Summary: This is a Doug and Carol story, but the other ER characters also appear. Please read and review! The more reviews the story gets, the more chapters that will be posted!!! Thank you!!
1. Starting Again

The chapters in this story won't be very long, but I'll try to update them as much as possible, but that depends on the amount of responses so please take the time out and tell me what you think!! Thanks very much!  
  
  
Carol woke up in Doug's arms and she was quickly reminded of where she was and why she was there. It was the day after Carol traveled to Seattle to go back to Doug and the two of them decided that they would go back to Chicago that day to pick up Tess and Kate at Carol's mother's house.  
  
"Doug, wake up," Carol quietly demanded.  
  
Doug opened his eyes slowly.  
  
"Why? What happened?" Doug asked.  
  
"Doug, we need to get ready, our flight leaves in 3 hours, at 10."  
  
"Okay. We can stay in bed a little longer if you'd like.."  
  
"No, Doug. This is not the time to fool around. That's for tomorrow."   
  
Doug and Carol both smile. About 2 hours later, they're at the airport waiting for their flight.  
  
"Why aren't you talking a lot, Carol? You usually have a ton of things to say."  
  
"I'm sorry. We can really talk on the plane ride. Right now, I'm thinking that I truly miss the girls and I can't wait to see them."  
  
"Me neither. People are right that a picture is worth a thousand words because when I see Tess and Kate in those pictures, I want to see them even more. I'm excited."  
  
"They don't go to just anyone, Doug. So if they seem distant to you, give them time because they don't really know you, that's all. They'll get more comfortable when they spend more time with you."  
  
"I hope. I'm good with kids."  
  
"No, not the pediatrician talk again!" Carol laughed.  
  
Doug and Carol started catching up a little bit and they didn't realize how fast the time went. An announcement came up.  
  
"Boarding for the 10:00 flight for Chicago is now in progress."  
  
"Doug, that's us."   
  
Doug and Carol got their stuff together, showed their tickets and entered the plane."   
  
During the 4 hour ride, the two of them talked almost the entire time.  
  
"Him and Elizabeth are really getting close. More so than I ever though they'd be."   
  
"He's a player, that guy."  
  
"I wouldn't go that far as to say that, you know..."  
  
"Well, it's true...that Cynthia girl and Susan, Jen, and God knows who else."  
  
"Elizabeth's a really nice girl. They seem really nice together as far as I can see."  
  
"I think we should go and visit the hospital," Doug added. "I really want to see Mark....and everybody as a matter of fact."  
  
"Even Kerry?"  
  
"Okay, almost everybody."  
  
As the plane landed, Doug became more and more anxious. He wasn't sure if it was because he was meeting his girls for the first time, or because he was going back to his 'old home' as he called it, County. Doug and Carol rented a car and went to her mother's house.  
  
"Just be nice to her and don't say to much," Carol suggested.  
  
"Can't I just wait in the car?"  
  
"She knows I went to see you and she knows I'm going to live with you, so you might as well give a good impression so she doesn't go crazy."  
  
"I think she already is crazy to tell you the truth. I can't imagine it being any worse in her case"  
  
They arrived at Carol's mother's house and they went inside when Helen opened the door.  
  
"Hello, Douglas, " Mrs. Hathaway greeted.  
  
"Very nice to see you," Doug replied.  
  
"Mom, we don't really have much time. We'd hate to grab the girls and run, but that's what we're going to have to do."  
  
"Do what you must, Carol. Don't keep my granddaughters away from me for too long. I want to see them..."  
  
"Of course, mom. Don't worry. Thanks a lot for watching them."  
  
"You're welcome. Bye Carol, bye Doug."  
  
"Bye mom."  
  
Carol and her mother hug.  
  
"Bye Ms. Hathaway." Doug said.  
  
"Bye Douglas."   
  
They all got into the car and Doug drove while Carol held the girls.  
  
"You nervous, Doug?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About going back after such a long time."  
  
"No....why should I be?"   
  
" Maybe because you didn't leave on such a positive note..."  
  
  
Okay guys, please respond to this PLEASE!! The next chapter should be up soon!!!  
  
  
  
  



	2. Back Home

Thanks for all of the feedback! Please continue to post reviews telling me what you think! Your input is greatly appreciated!  
  
Carol and Doug arrive at the hospital.  
  
"Re-visiting the past.." Doug said quietly.  
  
"You're going to see some new people, but I think that everything is pretty much the same"   
  
Doug and Carol walk into the ER. Carol is holding Tess and Kate in her arms and Doug is following behind her. They walk to the admit desk.  
  
"Randi, hi." Carol said with a smile.  
  
"Nurse Hathaway-is that...Dr. Ross?"  
  
"Yes, it's me. Hi Randi. Can you tell me where I can find Mark?"  
  
"Yes, the lounge."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Nice to see you again Doug."  
  
Doug and Carol go to the lounge still with babies in hand. They open the door and see Mark in there just hanging up the phone.  
  
"Mark!" Doug exclaimed.  
  
"Doug, my goodness, how have you been?"  
  
Mark comes over and hugs Doug.  
  
"I've been great. Everything is going good. Now I have my 3 girls back with me-it's great. How have you been?"  
  
"Good, really good."  
  
"How has everything been without me?"  
  
"Very dull, I must say, but other than that, pretty much the same."  
  
Kerry walks into the lounge.  
  
"Doug-hi." Kerry says with shock in her voice.  
  
"You obviously never expected to see me here." Doug smiled.  
  
"You're right, I didn't expect to come into work one day and see you- you of all people here."  
  
"I do have that effect on people, you know that."  
  
"What the hell-come here."  
  
Doug goes over and hugs Kerry. Carol and Mark are very surprised at the way Kerry is acting towards Doug despite how much she seems to hate him.  
  
Dave walks in.  
  
"Chief, there's a trauma com-"  
  
"Carol, hey. Who's that?"  
  
"It's Doug. Tess and Kate's father. I'm going to move to Seattle to live with him."  
  
"Seattle? That's where my identical twin lives."  
  
"Really? What's his name?"  
  
"John Malucci. If you ever need anything, call him. He's like a really handy man. Anyway-chief, multiple MVA victims--ETA 5 minutes."  
  
"Thanks Dave."  
  
After Doug, Carol and Mark talk for a while, Doug and Carol leave so they can catch their flight back to Chicago. When they arrive home, Carol goes to take a nap and she puts Tess and Kate down for naps also. When Carol wakes up, she goes into the kitchen where Doug is to talk with him.  
  
"Doug, is there a way I can get a job at the hospital where you work?"  
  
"Yeah. I just spoke with the chief of emergency services at my hospital and County is faxing over all of your information. They said they need nurses, so in a couple of days, you can go in."  
  
"Thanks Doug- but what are we going to do with the girls? I don't want to leave them in hospital day care all the time."  
  
"That's already been figured out."  
  
"Where did you find a babysitter?"  
  
"It was actually a fluke to tell you the truth. I had to call my med student to ask her if she completed something I asked her to do at the hospital and mentioned that you and the girls were here because I talk all the time about the three of you. She said that her best friend is a law student that's off for the summer and she'd be glad to babysit every day if we needed. Both of them should be coming here-"  
  
The doorbell rings.  
  
"-Now."  
  
"Wow, that's fast service, I'll get the door."  
  
Carol goes to answer the door. Doug's med student is there and her best friend is behind her.  
  
"Hello, come in girls." Carol said.  
  
"Hi, my name is Nicole Ball. I'm Doug's med student. This, here is my best friend Alyssa Shannon."   
  
"Nice to meet you both."  
  
"Nice to meet you too." Nicole added.  
  
"Come into the kitchen girls. Doug is there."  
  
Everyone goes in and sits down at the kitchen table.  
  
"It's late, so I'm glad that you two could come at such short notice." Doug said.  
  
"No problem." Alyssa said.  
  
"Carol, Nicole is probably the best med student that I've ever seen. She's very into her work and she's going to make an excellent doctor."  
  
"That's wonderful. Are you planning to work in trauma?"  
  
"Trauma surgery actually."   
  
"Really? That's great, Nicole."  
  
"Thank you."   
  
"Now, Alyssa. Do you have any babysitting experience?"  
  
"Yes, as a teenager I would babysit for my neighbors, family friends and people from church. I've always liked children and watching them."  
  
"That's very good. I would let you meet the girls, but they're asleep. Tess and Kate are both 6 months old."  
  
"Aww, how cute!" Alyssa said, very happy.  
  
"Alyssa, I think you're hired."  
  
"Really? Thank you very much!"  
  
"All right, Alys. I told you they'd like you. Ms. Hathaway, is it? I've heard so much about you and your daughters. Doug has told me a lot."  
  
"Really? Well I haven't heard much about you or Alyssa, but I'm definitely looking forward to learning more about you two."  
  
Alyssa and Nicole say thank you and goodbye, and they leave.  
Well, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Please try to give your input! Thank you!!!!  
  
  



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